Head-up display apparatus and mirror unit for the same

• US 7,466,220 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2005
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Kageyama, Hideaki, Aoki, Kunimitsu, Furuya, Yoshiyuki, Nakamura, Go
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/129,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20050259301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/980, 340/945, 340/971, 340/459, 340/461, 340/425.5, 340/815.4, 340/815.55, 359/1, 359/13, 359/838, 359/630, 359/618, 359/850, 359/602, 348/113, 348/115
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/66 Projection screens or combiners
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/53 Movable instruments, e.g. slidable
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0181 Adaptation to the pilot/driver
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence

Abstract

Providing a head-up display apparatus capable of receiving a mirror, which projects from a line of an instrument panel when in use, without increasing a receiving section and spoiling a beauty of the instrument panel, and a mirror unit used in the same, a mirror is rotated about an axis perpendicular to a reflecting surface of the mirror so as to project a part of the mirror from the opening when in use, and take in the projected part of the mirror down within the opening when not in use. Thus, the whole mirror can be received in the receiving section only by rotational motion.

Claims

1. A head-up display apparatus comprising:

a display device displaying a predetermined image;

an optical system reflecting said image toward a windshield to be reflected again by the windshield;

a receiving section being installed in an instrument panel at an opening of the instrument panel for receiving the display device and the optical system;

a panel cover to cover an opening of the receiving section as the opening of the instrument panel; and

a control mechanism for the optical system, for positioning a part of the optical system from a position in the receiving section to make a car driver sitting on a driver'"'"'s seat recognize the image when in use, and for positioning the part of the optical system within the receiving section when not in use to make the car driver ignore the image.

2. A head-up display apparatus comprising:

a display device displaying a predetermined image;

a mirror reflecting said image toward a windshield;

a receiving section being installed in an instrument panel for receiving the display device and the mirror;

a panel cover covering an opening of the receiving section; and

a mirror rotating mechanism for rotating the mirror about an axis perpendicular to a reflecting surface of the mirror so as to position a part of the mirror from the opening of the receiving section when in use, and take in the part of the mirror down within the opening when not in use.

3. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said panel cover is formed into a shape of flat plate, and made movable in parallel to the opening interlockingly with rotation of the mirror for covering the opening so as to be in the same plane with the instrument panel when not in use.

4. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 further comprising an eye-range adjusting mechanism being capable of adjusting an angle of the mirror corresponding to an eye-range when in use according to a position in height of the eye-range of a car driver sitting on a driver'"'"'s seat.

5. A mirror unit, which is used for ahead-up display apparatus having a receiving section to be installed in an instrument panel for receiving a display device for displaying a predetermined image and a mirror for reflecting said image toward a windshield, comprising;

a mirror rotating mechanism for rotating the mirror about an axis perpendicular to a reflecting surface of the mirror; and

a fixed unit, on which the mirror rotating mechanism is mounted, being fixed on a inner wall of a receiving section so as to position a part of the mirror from an opening of the receiving section when in use, and take in the part of the mirror down within the opening when not in use.